McFadden thinks turf toe not as bad as ’08

Darren McFadden has turf toe and although he hopes to face the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, it’s not a slam dunk.
“It might be a game time decision,’’ coach Tom Cable said. “He’s feeling much better, so we’re not trying to chance it right now and see what he can do tomorrow.’’

McFadden said the condition is not nearly as bad as his rookie year, when turf toe on both feet essentially wrecked his season. Behind the scenes, there were those in McFadden’s camp that felt the Raiders mishandled the injury and should have shut him down earlier. He even sought medical opinions outside the organization.

“It brings back memories but at the same time it’s something you learn to deal with,’’ McFadden said. “You know how to approach it.’’

Following the Indianapolis game, McFadden said in the locker room he had rolled his ankle while Cable said he had turf toe. Thursday was the first day he was available to the media and he confirmed his left toe was the issue.

McFadden said he went out and “ran around’’ at practice, but on the official report he was listed as not having practiced.

“I have full intentions of going out and playing so I’ll see how it goes,’’ McFadden said.

Defensive tackle Richard Seymour did not practice and will be a game time decision. Right tackle Langston Walker was limited, saying he made it through 95 percent of practice before he had a “miniscule’’ headache.

— The fact that the Raiders are 15 points shy of doubling their 2009 point total and are having their best offensive season since 2002 is of little consolation to offensive coordinator Hue Jackson.

Asked if he was pleased by the Raiders’ progress, Jackson said, “No. Not pleased at all. We didn’t win enough games, so I’m not pleased by any stretch of the imagination We’ve been very inconsistent moreso than anything and we’ve got to strive to move forward and be a more consistent offensive football team.’’

Jackson gave himself a “C’’ as a playcaller because “when you don’t make the playoffs and don’t win your division there’s nothing to feel good about. The last two years (with Baltimore) I’ve been in the playoffs and I know what it’s like. That’s the reward for all your hard work. I wasn’t able to help the team get it done this year to my liking or our player’s liking.’’

Interestingly, Jackson had no problem with the play-calling against the Colts. He thought the play calls were fine and the execution was poor.

Critics (OK, me _ as well as a lot of you) thought the Raiders erred in going to the perimeter too often against a Cover 2 team noted for speed rather than attack between the tackles.

“They did some things defensively against us that we didn’t do a great job against. I know everybody cried about ‘Oh we have to run the ball more,’ ” Jackson said. “You got to do what it takes to win a football game. That’s the most important thing. I didn’t leave the game saying, ‘Oh gosh I should have run it more. Oh gosh I should have thrown it more.’ ”

Regarding quarterback Jason Campbell, Jackson said, “He’s really done a good job. He really has. I think Jason has really grown into this role here for our football team. I’m very excited about his future and what he can be in 2011.’’

Jackson wouldn’t bite about questions regarding his own future and the possibility that the Raiders’ offensive improvement could make him a potential head coaching candidate.

“Honestly the only thing I’m worried about is the Kansas City Chiefs and winning this game this week,’’ Jackson said. “That’s the only thing that’s on my mind, period.’’

— Former Chiefs coach and Raiders arch-enemy Marty Schottenheimer will enter the Chiefs Hall of Fame as part of the team’s alumni weekend.

It was Schottheimer who gave Jackson his first job in the NFL as an assistant coach with the Washington Redskins.

“He put me in the league so I have a lot of respect for him,’’ Jackson said. “He taught me a lot of football.’’

Reminded that Schottenheimer has a well-documented disdain for all things silver and black (not to mention an 18-3 record against the Raiders as head coach of the Chiefs), Jackson laughed.

“He does hate the Raiders and on Sunday I’m going to hate him,’’ Jackson said. “That’s part of the business.’’

— With San Diego tight end Antonio Gates headed to injured reserve with plantar fasciiitis, Zach Miller can probably expect a phone call elevating him to the team along with Jacksonville’s Marcedes Lewis.

“It would be great. It’s always been a goal of mine,’’ Miller said. “I’m just happy I was voted as high as I was, even though I was playing with a foot injury. Obviously I want to be one of those guys picked on the roster, but with the injuries this year and missing time, I feel like I ended up with a pretty good season.’’

Sebastian Janikowski, on the other hand, wasn’t as upbeat.

“If you can answer that question for me, that would be great, because it’s happened before,’ Janikowski said when asked what’s keeping him from being named. “I lead the league in field goals, scoring, it’s happened before. Same story.’’

— The Raiders find themselves within reach of the NFL record for penalty yards in a season, needing 106 yards to break the 1998 total of 1,304 yards set by Chiefs in 1998.

They’ll have to go some to break the record for penalties. The Raiders have 138 penalties, 20 shy of the Chiefs’ record of 158 in 1998.

The Raiders’ club records are 156 penalties (1994 and 1996) and 1,274 yards (1969 in 14 games).

Oakland’s penalty breakdown this year: 64 for 448 yards on offense (first), 56 for 575 yards on defense (second) and 18 for 176 on special teams.

Oakland has been called 55 times for false starts, offsides or delay of game. By contrast, the Atlanta Falcons, the NFL’s least penalized team, has 54 penalties all season.

The Raiders are tied for fourth with 18 holding penalties, with Jared Veldheer the team leader with five. Veldheer also leads with seven false starts.

Asked about penalties being a problem Wednesday, Cable said, “Actually I know everybody talks about it. But I think our style of play is to really cut it loose as I always say but I think that will grow as we mature. We’ve had a bunch of good games and a bunch of games where it was kind of ugly that way too. The penalties need to get better, will get better but I don’t see them as being as big an issue as I do the turnovers.’’

The strangest stat?

The Raiders are 0-5 in games where they had eight or fewer penalties.

Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer

Post navigation

PasstheCheetos, I understand what you are saying,a nd you are right. But the Raiders are bringing Bush in every third or fourth series like clockwork, and in goal-line. IMO, they lose multiple series by doing this, and they are not good enough to lose mulitple series.

Now, does that mean I am for DMAC getting every carry and getting chopped down 30 times a game? No. I just think the distribution is wrong, and certainly I think those who believe Bush should be getting more workload are flat out wrong.
———————
Actually I agree with this. If Bush is carrying the ball Dmac should at leat be line up in the slot if not at receiver. Keep dmac on the field even if its not designed to go to him. One thing i wish i saw this year/hope to see next year is dmac playing receiver. Hes a one of a kind talent.

PassTheCheetos

I just dont want to see him get overworked. Guys like Larry johnson, adrian peterson, shaun alexander, earl campbell, even Landanian tomlinson, they all have one thing in common. They have huge years then arent nearly as good the next season, for a simple fact a great back gets overworked and just arent the same. I personally dont give 2 sh**s if dmac doesnt get the 3rd and shorts/tds/all the carries. This kid has a chance to be one of the geatest ever. Keep him healthy 250-290 touches a season max. i just dont want to see him burn out like so many before him.

Sir Dennis Eeatin-Hog

Another thing is, and believe me I know that the rabid pro football fan and purist thnks the Wildcat is a novelty and not a real weapon, but DMAC invented the damn thing, or at least he is the prototype of the guy behind the wheel of it.

Oakland has not run it properly, and this is where I believe Bush could be a huge asset and actually put up better numbers. MUST have a motion man (Ford, Bey, or Murphy) who is an option when the ball is shotgunned to DMAC. Use this 5-10 times a game, and like you said, have DMAC in the slot or motioning out of the fullback position another 4-5 times a game as a decoy with Bush getting the ball, and I think you get more out of both players.

Bush is not good enough, coupled with average QB play and below-average WR play, to be giving him several series a game. And the goal-line deal blows my mind. It really does. I’ve been watching DMAC since HS, and the kid is an end-zone beast. He can get in there anyway you want him to.

priesttj

Passthecheetos get these other paranoid DMC lovers to see the same thing. I can’t get Armond to see that DMC gets nicked if he wants to see the guy play into his late 20’s give Bush the DMC will be the benefactor…………period

priesttj

No player can take that pounding 25 times a game over 16 games and last more than 5 seasons they lose a step and start taking beatings. DMC is a weapon who can make this team better if you use him smartly and he’ll stay fresh and healthy.

PassTheCheetos

# Sir Dennis Eeatin-Hog Says:
December 31st, 2010 at 12:03 am

Another thing is, and believe me I know that the rabid pro football fan and purist thnks the Wildcat is a novelty and not a real weapon, but DMAC invented the damn thing, or at least he is the prototype of the guy behind the wheel of it.

Oakland has not run it properly, and this is where I believe Bush could be a huge asset and actually put up better numbers. MUST have a motion man (Ford, Bey, or Murphy) who is an option when the ball is shotgunned to DMAC. Use this 5-10 times a game, and like you said, have DMAC in the slot or motioning out of the fullback position another 4-5 times a game as a decoy with Bush getting the ball, and I think you get more out of both players.

Bush is not good enough, coupled with average QB play and below-average WR play, to be giving him several series a game. And the goal-line deal blows my mind. It really does. I’ve been watching DMAC since HS, and the kid is an end-zone beast. He can get in there anyway you want him to.
————–
As far as i know the wildcat is basically the zone read option. Is there any real differences between the two? Other than the fact the wildcat is been typically operated through a more of a pure runner.

Sir Dennis Eeatin-Hog

priesttj, then what should be the workload distribution of DMAC and Bush as you see it?

Sir Dennis Eeatin-Hog

Similar, but you must have east-west motion intersecting with the QB at the snap, and you must have a pass option, too. This really gives you four read-options: hand off to man in motion (Ford), hand off to the RB (Bush), keep (DMAC), or pass. You can also double-reverse back to the QB, who happens to be an athlete (Campbell), for a deep pass.

McFadden threw 7 TDs in two seasons running the Wildcat, and only one of those TD passes was less than 20 yards. The point is, you can set up big plays out of the Wildcat, and you have a guy who can work it better than anyone else in the game.

The second year the Hogs used it — DMAC’s junior year — our new offensive coordinator was David Lee (he’s the one who brought it to the Miami Dolphins), and he picked up where Gus Malzahn (Auburn’s O-coordinator) left off by making sure the Wildcat was a regular part of the offense.

Now, in the NFL, you can’t use it as much, but you could use it 5-10 plays a game depending on the game siutations, and I promise you it would open things up for a lot of other players on the field (see Ford, Bey, Bush, and possibly even Reece).

priesttj

Son you are clueless about Bush and what DMC can do over period of say 5 years. I think you give DMC a mixture as long as he touches it 25+ times a game and Bush 20 + predominantly runs. I would use DMC every way possible he makes the team better. Bush is a bruising inside runner capable of dominating games. Both are an elite tandem one of the best potentially that I have ever seen. But sqirts like you fall in love with one or the other and miss the point.

They make each other better as to because the defense has to adapt to both. We’ve done it in the pastand dominated the league I think they have that ability together.

priesttj

Sqirt we know the whole history no need to remind us, wildcat is no better than a 2 back set if you know what you’re doing as a coach. It limits what you can do downfield. As good passer as DMC is he isn’t a QB and this is teh NFL. As trick play OK but no more………….period

Sir Dennis Eeatin-Hog

Well, you really think DMAC and Bush can combine for 45 touches a game? I mean, they dominated at SD and combined for 42 carries and a few receptions, but I don’t see them hitting an average of 45 per.

And I don’t see Bush as a “bruising inside runner capable of dominating games.” It sounds like you have fallen in love with Yoko Ono, but you’re calling her Christie Brinkley. You are also say they are an elite tandem, but I would say they are a quality tandem.

I think the staff is giving away series by the way they are rotating the backs, and it is obvious to me and others here who see it too. What really hurts are the 4 games — Arizona, Miami, Jacksonville, and Indy — that could have been won if only the running game and RB rotation had been proplerly managed.

priesttj

Like I said clueless……I’m done!!

discuss it with someone else…..I’m bored!!

Sir Dennis Eeatin-Hog

Actually, priest, it’s more than a trick play and several teams use it 4-5 times a game with success. I believe with the personnel that Oakland has, it could be used a little more because: a) you’ve got two game-breakers in DMAC and Ford who must be accounted for plus Bush to pound it inside all in on the play, and b) you don’t have a stellar QB-to-WR passing game anyway, so you might make up for that lack of typical downfield production with an effective way to generate a few more big plays.

raidertalk

I dont mind the penalties as long as we decrease the holding and false starts and increase the roughness penalties

raidertalk

Is it just me or has Seymore CHECKED OUT on the last 2 games of the season.

Cable’s gonna need everybody to keep this team from another losing season!

sirblitzalot

Why can’t some of you see that Tom Cable is in over his head with this HC gig? This is not a fraternity of friends in Silver and Black. Tom Cable shouldn’t remain HC because the “Team” support him! Shouldn’t contract renewal be based on merit? If it is then this decision is a no brainer. This team sucked under TC’s “leadership”. Even this year! If you were to look at a graph of their winning under TC’s tenure, it would resemble Al Davis’ EKG – completely random! Tom Cable can’t HEAD COACH! He is a loser (if having a winning record is your measuring stick). His record confirms it, year in and year out. So why do some of you want this guy back? He stumbled onto this gig and he has been stumbling since. He needs to stumble his az out of Oakland.

McFadden is no longer Chicken Legs.
He put in a lot of work in the off-season building up his leg muscles.
He’s quite well-built now, and well-proportioned torso and legs.
His top-end speed is a little down but it’s given him more tackle-breaking ability.

Why can’t some of you see that Tom Cable is in over his head with this HC gig? This is not a fraternity of friends in Silver and Black. Tom Cable shouldn’t remain HC because the “Team” support him! Shouldn’t contract renewal be based on merit? If it is then this decision is a no brainer. This team sucked under TC’s “leadership”. Even this year! If you were to look at a graph of their winning under TC’s tenure, it would resemble Al Davis’ EKG – completely random! Tom Cable can’t HEAD COACH! He is a loser (if having a winning record is your measuring stick). His record confirms it, year in and year out. So why do some of you want this guy back? He stumbled onto this gig and he has been stumbling since. He needs to stumble his az out of Oakland.

++++++

agree.

Plunketthead

Bummer morning
Its 17 degrees out and truck would not start so battery charger is on that.
I go to PFT , see the rex Ryan fetish link, click on it, read lame story with lamer pics, go to facebook and it says I “like” rex ryan foot fetish videos and no way to get rid of it.

I guess its time to shutdown facebook. I am too young to shoot myself.

Sebas can stop whining about not being chosen to go to Hawaii. He cost the Raider a playoff spot by missing a “cheap shot” 32 yards fg. JC is not the answer at QB.
There’s no comparison between the Raiders’ coaches and QBs to the ones in other teams in the playoffs.

Plunketthead

GG

Where is that? I have looked. Funny thing is I did click on like. I am careful to not do that.

Plunketthead

I found where it has my likes and you can delete them and its not there.
It is not on my wall either.
Just on the page where I view what my friends wrote over the past few days.

Go to your facebook profile
Click on the INFO tab (where WALL is)
Then it lists all your likes.
Click on the pencil thing that allows you to edit them.
Click on the Rex Ryan thing.
Next to it will give you a REMOVE option.

Plunketthead

I got the wormblaster virus last week from a TV fix it site. Maybe that has something to do with it.

Sebas can stop whining about not being chosen to go to Hawaii. He cost the Raider a playoff spot by missing a “cheap shot” 32 yards fg. JC is not the answer at QB.
There’s no comparison between the Raiders’ coaches and QBs to the ones in other teams in the playoffs.

I am more comortable with Jerry and his army knowing about my foot fetish then all my friends, relatives.

raiderfankirk

Hope they activate Bruce Campbell this week. If they kept him on the 53 then there must be something they like. I got a kick out of watching his interviews at the beginging of the season. How could anyone not like this guy. Cable says “Bruce go smash that guy” Bruce, “Ok coach, what do I do next.” If you were a little punk you would deffinetly want this guy as your big brother.

504 Raider

“Draft Guru” Todd McShay has Jake Locker as the 3rd QB prospect and Ryan Mallet as the 5th QB prospect. If that is the case it would implicate that Mallet falls to the 2nd rnd.

If Mallet is on the board when we pick there is no way Al Davis passes him up. I sure as hell hope Mallet is there.

We can get O-Line help down the line if it isn’t taken care of in free agency.

Just Fire Baby

I don’t get the Jake Locker hype. His accuracy on the move is abysmal and it isn’t all that great when his is the pocket either.

Remember he signed a $500,000 signing bonus to play baseball this past spring, and is considered a top tier prospect.

If he slips into the 2nd or 3rd round, no way would I take him in the 2nd round, he could just go play baseball, make more money and not get his head kicked in.

McFadden said the condition is not nearly as bad as his rookie year, when turf toe on both feet essentially wrecked his season. Behind the scenes, there were those in McFadden’s camp that felt the Raiders mishandled the injury and should have shut him down earlier.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

LMAO. And the fumbles were from Turf Fingers?

Just Fire Baby

As far as Mallett, he is the Al Davis prototype, rocket arm, big tall guy.

He just strikes me as a guy without much of a feel for the game. A lot of quick read, one read throws. Good defenses always make him shaky, at least for a quarter or so a game.